Eamonn

This "Scouting on line" Or whatever title you want to give it was very new to me when I started. So far it has been very worth while. Even the people that I disagree with and yes FOG or whatever or who ever he or she might be called has at times got me to examine where I am coming from. Of course you the reader have no way of knowing who I might really be or where I am. I kinda thought that this being a Scouter Forum, that I could trust the people to be what they say they are. I am very thankful to the Forum for allowing me to meet and make friends with a great number of people that I really respect. I also have a lot of respect for most of the people that post here and I have yet to get close to. Sure there are people that I think are "Out there." Just as I'm sure that there are those who think that I'm a total twit. Most times if someone is getting on our last nerve we can just skip what they post. Very much a case of no harm no foul. I did notice tonight in another thread that Bob White has posted. It is no secret how much I like and respect Bob White and I am really glad to welcome him back. Eamonn (This message has been edited by a staff member.)

Sorry KS I can't help with the paper work. Back in the day I had the APL turn the attendance records from the patrol into the troop scribe.This was turned in at the PLC meetings. Eamonn

Best thing is to check with your District or Council Training Chair. Eamonn

Yes we as a Council do have the "Special" CSP for donations over a $100.00. I don't know somehow this isn't as bad as trying to get Scouts to hand over big bucks for a patch, with the promise that one day it is going to be worth mega bucks. Worse still is thinking behind the idea "Hey we need money!! - I know lets stick another patch out there." It seems that we have to have a special patch for everything: NAOC, The Jamboree. The Anniversary of the Lodge and whatever else comes down the pike. I am not in favor of this but can live with it. But the idea of just making a patch and having it be a "Limited Edition" in order to make money seems wrong. The next contingent to NOAC, won't turn around and say "Hey donate money to subsidize the Scouts going to NOAC and we will give you a patch." They can't do this because it is wrong. But selling a patch for some silly amount is just as wrong. Eamonn.

OJ returned from a very enjoyable time at NOAC and is already making plans for the next conference. Which is fine and dandy with me. He informs me that the Lodge is thinking about issuing a special flap to help subsidize the trip. The patch will be sold for some exorbitant amount and there will only be a few hundred of them. I am not a patch collector. However I think that this idea stinks. Lodge Flaps should be just that Flaps that show you belong to the Lodge. It seems that every time there is a need for a few extra bucks we pop out a new Lodge Flap. I have been a member of our Lodge for over 25 years. We have had more flaps and some of them are really ugly, in the past five years then we ever had in the twenty years before. Sure I don't want to have dig to deep into my pocket to send my kid to anything, but selling a $2.00 patch for $25.00 and telling everyone that it is going to be a collectors item is not right. Could it be that we need to take a long hard look at the Scout Laws? Eamonn

How strange. Less then ten hours ago I sent our Field Director an E-mail which in a way goes with this thread. Tomorrow I am meeting a young man who is applying for the DE job in our District. I don't know very much about him only what the Field Director E-mailed me. His E-mail said that he is an Eagle Scout, can read and write French and has worked at a summer camp. My E-mail to the Field Director said that I wanted him to ensure that this new guy understands that we in the District have the program covered. I want and need some one with strong administrative skills. Someone who knows what is needed and what it takes to help the District reach Quality District. While I do wonder where you get the time to do all the stuff that you have done? I do have to wonder why the DE is so busy micro-managing events? The guy must have all the membership and finance stuff in great shape. He must be up to date with all of his meeting with the IHO's. If the guy is that good please send him to me ASAP. I was hoping to get a good guy, but Superman!! I could retire!! Eamonn

Have to say that by the sound of what you say something is not right. What is and what isn't a Scouting activity? While some people will split hairs and try to do non approved activities by saying this is not a Scouting activity, most parents don't know the rules and think that anytime that their son is doing something with someone from the troop that whatever they are doing is a Scouting activity. Sad to say in our Council we had a case of a real twit. He took a small group of Scouts away by himself. While they were away he tied the Scouts up and Scratched the letter "T" on their chests. The T was for trust. Needless to say the parents were non too happy and went to the police. There never was a tour permit filed, there was no two deep leadership, the chartered organization had no knowledge of the trip.Of course everyone in "Boy Scout Land" started saying that everyone ought to have known that there has to be two deep leadership and this and that ought to have been done. The press had a field day with this. The guy did not sexually abuse the Scouts. Still some of the parents filed suit against the Council and the BSA. In the end a settlement was reached. However the Council was left paying some large fees. Also the damage done to the image of the Boy Scouts was immense. The type of activities that these ASM's are doing with these Lads are such that someone could get hurt or even get killed. I sure as heck would not allow these ASM's to continue. They need to understand the damage that could be done. If they fail to see the light I think that the chartering organization needs to be brought in and maybe theses guys need to go. Eamonn.

Hey OGE maybe FOG is still pretending to be me and I'm the one arguing with myself? Strange how I seem to have lost the accent? No you haven't. Yes you have. Oh No I haven't. Oh Yes you have. Oh No. Oh Yes..... Please Fog, stop being me. Not that I don't like you or anything. I just like it better when I'm pretending to be me. Eamonn. The real one not someone who isn't me pretending to be someone else.

I don't very often stray into starting threads in the area of the forum, but I came across this in Time magazine and then looked it up. "And a society of different lifestyles spawned a group of young people who were brought up without parental discipline, without proper role models and without any sense of responsibility to or for others." This is the sort of thing that I might have expected from Maggie Thatcher or maybe even Baden Powell. But no. This is part of a speech made by Tony Blair, leader of the left wing British Labour Party. He is referring to the 1960's liberal, social consensus on law and order. He is of course a polititian and like many politicans is saying what he thinks people want to hear. Eamonn.

One of the big problems that I used to have was that I used to judge other peoples commitment to the program using me as the yardstick. There I was rushing around attending meetings, planning meetings,doing all this stuff and not understanding why everyone in the entire world wasn't tagging along. During my time as a Cubmaster I can now look back ans see that I was very fortunate that the pack had a really outstanding Den Leader Coach. She was every bit as into "It" as I was. Sad to say looking back not all the Den Leaders were. In fact many would loved to have chucked it all in but as is often the case didn't because there was no one to take their place. They kept on out of loyalty to the Cub Scouts and my ego likes to think loyalty to me. While I hate to admit it one year the Webelos Scout Den Leader was so half hearted that I stepped in and took over, leaving her name on the charter. Leading a Den is tough. You know that each and every week that come hell or high water them little fellows are going to be on your doorstep add to that the Leaders meetings and the Cubmaster on your back to get your tail to Roundtable meetings, training's and whatever else comes down the pike. A Den Leaders lot is not a happy one. I think the answer to the problem is two fold. One is planning. You need to sit down about now and make an annual plan. The plan must come from all the adults. It could be that maybe you are all just trying to do too much. Maybe the activities are the same old same old. Our District has a Mall Show every year in February. Every year it is the same thing. Every year I find an excuse to arrive late or if things really work out well I find a reason not to attend. Yes I know I'm supposed to be setting the example, but I think a trip to the dentist beats going to this darn Mall Show. The other part of the answer is communications. For communications to really work there has to be feedback. As Cubmaster maybe you need to stop cheer leading and start listening. Hear what the other Leaders are saying and from there do what can be done to meet their needs. Trying to get people to do stuff when school is out is always hard and not marching in a parade is not going to be the end of Scouting as we know it. I also think that as Cubmaster you need to do everything that you can to recognize the Den Leaders. Make sure that they get each and every knot or medal that they qualify for. Go wild and treat them to some little gift. Thank you cards after an event for a job well done. Whatever happens don't let them see what you have posted here. These are very special people, they are delivering the program to the boys, they are worth their weight in gold. You make no mention of an Assistant Cubmaster? One extra job you might want to take on is grooming him or her to take your place. Maybe not right away but it ought to be a goal that you set. Try to make Scouting as much fun for the adults as it is for the boys. The boys do come first but without the adults there is no program. Eamonn

One sure way not to get what you want is to say nothing. At times we can be our own worst enemies. We tell everyone our tales of woe and how over worked we are. People hear this and while they might want to give us a pat on the back. They sure as heck don't want to join us. We need to know what we are looking for and be honest. We all laugh about the one hour a week but we do need to let people know what they are letting themselves in for. The number of meetings that I have attended where the Leader has got up and made a plea for help or said we need your help is a vast number. Sad to say the people who step up is not. One on one is great, but two on one is better. A pal of mine tells me how when two church members came and asked him to be ASM in the troop, that he felt that if it was important enough for two guys to come to him it was important enough for him to do it. That was some time back. He is now our Council Commissioner. Eamonn.

Rumor has it that in the next Martha Stewart book there is a chapter on sewing mailbags. I feel sure that it's not true. Eamonn.

I made this plea in the other thread. But thought I would post it again. Please PM if you are interested in serving / Working in an Action Area at the National Jamboree. Thanks. Eamonn

There is a guide book and monthly news sheet on the Jamboree site, which is linked to the National Web site. The news sheets kinda lay out what should be happening and when it is to have happened. By now the second payment ought to be on its way from your home council to the national office. A friend of mine is in charge of one of the Action Areas. He is really in need of more staff. He would give anything if they were COPE trained, but needs any and all adults who like working with kids. Action areas are nice they close at the end of the day so you have your nights free and most are set up so that you get a couple of days off. Please PM me if you are interested. Thanks. Eamonn Eamonn.

Everything changed when what was called "The Advanced Party Report" came along in 1969. The Scout Laws went down to only six Scout Laws. The promise was shortened. The uniform became a dress uniform. Scoutmasters became Scout Leaders. Wolf Cubs became just Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts became just Scouts. Senior Scouts and Rovers were no longer. There were 3 different classifications for the new "Proficiency Badges". Interest Badges, they were the easy ones things like stamp collecting. Pursuit badges they were things like climbing or Swimming and Service Badges they were the hard ones First Aid, Lifesaving. All this has changed again, some of the new ideas look like what was there before with new names!! There has been a big shift from Advancement to participation, which I am very interested to see how it works out. Of course the thing that always got me was that you were unable to reach the top award until you had been in the Venture Unit for about 18 months. You couldn't join the Venture Unit until you were 16. You very rarely met a Queens Scout under the age of 18. Eamonn.

Me thinks twas I who started this mess!! Back in the Day!! When I was a Scout and Venture Scout, in Merry Old England. As a Scout you worked on The Scout Badge, The Scout Standard and the Advanced Scout Standard. Then you worked on the Chief Scouts Award. When you completed all the requirements you received along with the patch a certificate signed by the Chief Scout. At the ripe old age of 16 years you left the troop and moved on into the Venture Unit. You could still proudly wear your Chief Scouts award. You worked away at the Venture Scout Award and then the Queens Scout Award, again when you had met all the requirements there was a certificate from the Queen. Many of the requirements for the Queens Scout Award were much the same as the Duke of Edinburgh Award, while not a Scouting award you could wear a patch and most Venture Unit Leaders were allowed to certify that you had met the requirements, there were three awards Bronze, Silver and Gold for the Duke of Edinburgh Award, again for each one you received a very nice medal a patch that could be worn on the uniform and a certificate signed by the Duke. It was easy to know that these were Awards. It said so on the certificates. I agree that at the end of the day it makes no never mind if we call it an award or a rank. All these certificates are in an album. I don't look at them very often, when I do they of course bring back memories of the activities that were done but more so memories of the people who helped me along the way. Needless to say my parents are top of that list. At times I lost sight of the goal, I thank the Big Fellow Upstairs for providing me with people who were willing to give me a friendly kick in the pants. One thing that I really like about the American Eagle Scout Award ceremony, that isn't part of the UK ceremony is that the Award is presented by a parent. I have stood in the parade at Windsor, with the Queen and members of the royal family and sure I was in awe. But as I age I would love to have as a memory my Mum pinning the award on me, Still that is not the case so I suppose I will settle for the next best thing - The Queen of England. Eamonn

I have to wonder about troops that teach Scouts a skill and then don't allow Scouts to use the skill? There is a lot of stuff that people over the years have worked hard on stuffing into my little pea brain. The stuff I use and put to use stays stuck in there. Other stuff, stuff I think that I used to know is gone or has become so confused that it is of little or no use. Sure I took four years of German in high school and maybe now I could order a few beers, but most of it is gone. Surely we don't just teach a kid a skill cos it's in the book? Isn't the whole idea that once he has the skill that he can put it to use? Many of the things listed at the start of this thread are strangely enough activities that I did when I took Wood Badge, back at Gilwell Park in the early 70's. Almost all can be taught to a Scout in a fun and exciting way, Incorporated into activities that a Scout will have fun doing. We have in the time that I have been in the forums gone over BOR's a lot. At this time I am not on a troop committee. If I were I would either have to put my faith in the leadership of the troop. Have faith that when something has been signed off - That it has been done and that the Scout has met what the requirement has asked him to do. If I didn't have this faith in the leadership of the troop, something would need to be done. As adults in Scouting we see the promise that is made to each and every Scout in the Scout Handbook, we know what the Vision and mission of this organization is. We use the methods of Scouting to meet the promise that is made and work toward doing our part to give life to the vision and mission. When we stop doing that the time has come for us to take our leave. Eamonn.

Reading FB and the tomb stone or epitaph led tome to thinking about what my legacy will be? What will I leave behind and what will people remember about Eamonn? I have seen Council Presidents who have had pet projects, mainly in the form of buildings that they have pushed through Board meetings. Of course they name them after some other notable Scouter. Sad to say these very often drain the coffers of the council and somehow rarely live up to expectations. My troop back home built a Scout Hall in memory of a Scouter who died in a POW camp during WWII, the Hall got a lot of use and served the Scouts well for about 40 years. Sad to say the William Thompson Memorial Hall is still there and there is no longer a troop or even a district. It will be sold and the money will go to the Scout Association, where the money will be put to do good. I would like to think that the Scouts that I have served over the years will act as my legacy. Not just the "War Stories." But maybe the tender moments.Times that more then lightly will never be voiced out loud, but just remembered with the hint of a smile. Sure there will be tales of lost passports, collapsing monkey bridges and camp fires when we laughed till our sides ached. A Lad who was in the troop E-mailed me the other day and said how he thinks of me every time he looks at the clouds. At the time he was a Scout UK Scouts had to be able to recognize and name clouds. They all had long Latin names and this Lad had a real hard time. I kinda think my legacy will be nothing big, just a collection of small smiles from different people. While the smiles might be small the people who wear them have been some of the most important people in the world to me. I hope that my real legacy is that I served them well. Eamonn.

Wearing my Jamboree Scoutmaster Hat. This is where our Jamboree Troop is at. Kick off last September. All Adult positions filled and both troops filled with a waiting list. We have had one fund raising event a Pizza sale which resulted in $6,000 profit. We held one parent meeting and one troop meeting. The Leaders have met and plans are underway. The troop will meet once a month from now till the Jamboree. With an extra meeting next month for the Emergency Preparedness meeting with a chap from the Red Cross. At the September meeting we will hold the elections for the troop and have planned a weekend training for these Lads in January. The pool is booked for the swimming test and a free swim in February and a campout is planned for April. The shake down is in early June. It does seem that up until now it has been a case of hurry up and do nothing. But with so much going on over the summer it is hard to get everyone in one place. Even our Leader meeting have been hard and we ended up having them at Camp as the other leaders were either up their with there troops or on staff. So far my job has been planning and making arrangements. We have a good communications set up in place. All the events are planned. Last Jamboree we had to give the parents a lot more information. This time with so much information available on the web site, there will be a lot less paper coming from me to the parents. I think that we are ready to go with Troop meetings. I will feel better when I know who the SPL is and who is on the PLC. Then we can really get to work. I am hoping that the PLC will agree that we can recycle the gateway from the last Jamboree with a new theme and paint job. If not we will add a few Saturdays to build a new gateway. Sad thing is that there isn't a budget for it. What we were unable to get donated last time we sold troop T-shirts to make up the difference. They were neat we listed everyones name on the back. Eamonn. We have been holding bi-monthly meetings with the Council Jamboree Committee.

All this good stuff and I might have a new found baby brother. Eamonn

It is a fact that sending letters to people asking for help rarely if ever achieves the desired results. Selecting Adults to help with troop functions can be hard but is not impossible. You need to sit down with the leaders and the committee and make a list of what you really need. Be as specific as you can be. Write down on paper a job description for each job. At the next gathering of parents such as a Court of Honor hand out the parent talent survey, with pens!! Make sure everyone has a survey and that everyone turns one in. Thank everyone for completing the survey. Have the Troop Committee form a Nominating Committee. Using the information from the surveys and the knowledge that the committee members have for each "Job Opening" that you have, select the person who has that talent.Then select two committee members to be the recruiters. They make an appointment to meet with the person that has been selected. They need a face to face meeting not a phone or an E-mail. Armed with the job description they meet with the person and inform them that they have been selected to help with whatever and this is what the job entails. The people visiting must be on their toes and not willing to take no for an answer.They must also be willing to pull out another job description. Sure the guy who works in the bank might be the guy selected to be treasurer, but he might be a lot happier working as the quartermaster. This is a lot of work. But if you are serious about getting the right person for the right job this is the way to go about it. Eamonn.

Remember to leave room for the rockers or the ring patch that was issued for Scoutmasters at the last Jambo. Eamonn

I must first admit to never having heard of such a thing. I am having a hard time trying to understand why a troop would require a bunch of rookie parents to attend camp outs. I can't help wondering if something is missing from the troop program? Sure there needs to be two deep leadership. But all these parents? As for not allowing the Scouts that parents don't attend I feel this is totally wrong. If the troop needs more leaders it is up to the troop committee to get on the ball and form a nominating committee to select people to join the leadership team. Then get them trained so that they can really be of use. What you are suggesting looks like a sure way to run the troop into the ground. As the parent of a Scout I don't want a lot of untrained and unchecked people taking my son away. Will all these parents fill out the BSA application form? Will all these people be youth protection trained? Why not try using the methods that are in place before you try doing it your way? Eamonn.(This message has been edited by Eamonn)

A Duck goes into a 711, which in keeping with the thread is owned by a dog. The Duck asks for a pound of grapes. The Dog explains that 711 doesn't sell grapes. Next day the Duck returns asking for a pound of grapes. Again the Dog explains that 711 doesn't serve grapes. The Duck comes back everyday for a week. The Dog becomes more annoyed each time. On the eighth day the Duck returns and asks for a pound of grapes. The Dog loses his cool he yells at the Duck "Look every day you come in here asking for a pound of grapes! Everyday I tell you that we don't sell grapes! If you come back one more time I'm going to get a hammer and nail those big webbed feet of yours to the floor!!" Sure enough the next day the Duck returns. Before he can say a word the Dog says "I told you yesterday that we don't sell grapes and if you came back I was going to nail those big webbed feet to the floor. Don't you understand we don't sell grapes!!" The Duck looked at the Dog and without missing a beat said "OK Give me a pound of nails." Eamonn

Dog in the wild west goes into a bar and orders two fingers of Red eye. Bartender informs the Dog that they don't serve dogs. The Dog insists and becomes very loud and aggressive. The Bartender gets his gun and shoots the dog in the foot. The Dog leaves. A few weeks later the Dog returns to the bar. He is wearing a ten gallon hat and a pair of six shooters. As he enters the bar someone says "Hi Dog who are you looking for?" The Dog looks him hard in the eye and says in a very gruff voice " I'm looking for the man who shoot my paw." Eamonn.